Plan amended to two towers

A PLANNING proposal for a high-density residential development in Castle Hill will move to the next stage – with one less tower than originally planned.

A planning proposal for a site area encompassing parts of Vivien Pl, Gay St and Gilham St has been sent to Gateway Determination. Picture: Google Maps

A PLANNING proposal for a high-density residential development in Castle Hill will move to the next stage – with one less tower than originally planned.

The site – at 1-6 Vivien Place, 1, 3, 5 and 7 Gay St and 12 Gilham St – currently has 11 residential lots on it.

Zoned R2 Low Density Residential, the site is about 800m from the future Castle Hill train station and is near Castle Hill Public School on Les Shore Place and the Castle Towers overflow carpark.

The original development concept submitted to The Hills Shire Council last year included three buildings ranging from four to 18 storeys in height with a total of between 270 and 300  residential units.

After the council raised concerns with the proposal, a revised concept was submitted in May.

The new design features two towers of 13 and 17 storeys, with each tower on a three-storey podium.

Under the new concept, the development would have 220 dwellings including 30 terrace houses on the ground level along the Gilham and Gay street frontages.

The basement carpark would provide about 265 spaces.

The current Vivien Place cul-de-sac would be incorporated into the development site and a new roadway would be built along the boundary of the site, near the 13-storey tower.

A pedestrian connection would be built from north of Gilham St to Pennant St.

The planning proposal seeks to have the site rezoned to R4 High Density Residential, have the height of buildings requirement removed from applying to the site, and have the minimum lot size increased from 700sq m to 1800sq m.

Hills Shire councillors voted at last week’s meeting to send the planning proposal to the Department of Planning and Environment for Gateway Determination.

The motion was passed with councillors Ray Harty, Ryan Tracey, Alan Haselden, Robyn Preston, Peter Gangemi and Mayor Yvonne Keane voting in favour, while Cr Michelle Byrne voted against.

Cr Jeff Lowe had declared an interest and had left the meeting for that agenda item.